Professional Learning Plan: Your Questions Answered

October 18, 2017

Ready, set, goal. Explore how you can help your students learn best with this Arizona K12 Center resource.

The Professional Learning Plan can help you support your students’ needs and learning, build a community of teacher leaders, and connect your professional learning with student achievement. Learn more about the resource itself and the corresponding three-session event that will give you a clear path to professional success.

What is the Professional Learning Plan (PLP)?

The Professional Learning Plan involves a three-pronged approach that combines high-quality and worthwhile goal-setting, rigorous standards for students and educators, and professional learning opportunities. Educators tackle these three questions — using data collection, analysis, reflection and a meaning development of professional learning goals:

Based on what my students need, what do I need to know and be able to do to support their learning progress?

What can I do to help my students learn best?

What can we, as colleagues committed to our students, do together?

What are three ways the PLP help my teaching practice?

The PLP has helped teachers and their practice by zeroing in on their self-identified goals, taking ownership of their professional growth, and providing a way to articulate how their growth has positively impacted students.

When should I start using the PLP? Why is now a good time to start working on the PLP?

The best thing about the PLP is that you can begin using it at any point in your career and at any point in the year. The sooner an educator has a say in how they grow and develop professionally, the better. Learning communities anchored in PLPs and autonomous growth can easily align with district/school improvement in order to improve learning and culture for students and educators.

How long should I expect to fill out the PLP and then put it into practice?

The timeline for the PLP is dependent on the goal and the professional using it. It could take a few weeks, to an entire school year.

What types of activities and tools the PLP includes?

The activities in the PLP begin with identifying a professional learning goal, setting norms and learning protocols for a professional learning community, establishing learning targets, collect data, completing an inquiry cycle, analyzing data and impact, and reflecting on success.

Why should I attend the PLP and Tool Kit event — as opposed to just getting the materials?

Understanding the “why?” behind the tool kit and the activities is the most important part of this tool. Educators engaged in developing learning communities need to find ways in which to build trust and rapport with the individuals engaged with the PLP. These are not motions to go through or tasks to check off, these are highly reflective steps in an inquiry cycle that cultivates the designing, planning, analyzing, and reflecting on professional learning.

Why should my department, school or district tackle the PLP as a group?

The best way to improve culture and learning is to invest in your learners. Whether you are talking about the students or the educators, when all stakeholders are invested in learning and share common goals, the learning is much deeper and permanent. When all stakeholders are working together, the impact on the professionals and students is so much greater.